Happy New Year! Or should I say Gung Hoy Fat Choy? I love Chinese New Year. I celebrate it each year. This year was sort of low key, however because Joe is still sick.
Let me tell you what I found out about this year -- the year of the dog. Although each of the twelve animals gets an outing every dozen years, there are different varieties -- and 2018 will be the first Year of the Earth Dog since 1958. The other dogs are earth, fire, wood and water.
Anyone born in an Earth Dog year will be communicative, serious, and responsible in the workplace.
Often the Chinese New Year is a time for families to gather for a Reunion Dinner. All the family members possible come together for a special meal. It is also a time for thoroughly cleaning the whole house to sweep away bad fortune and make room for good luck to come into your home. (A total fail for me on that one!) Windows and doors are decorated with red colored paper cut out shapes and poems with popular themes of "good luck", "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity". Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes although many young people these days have set up "Red Accounts" at their bank so their relatives can send them money electronically. Ah the pleasures of modern life. Many people (including us) eat dumplings.
Even though Joe wasn't feeling so good, we still had "lucky" food for dinner. I went to the Chinese restaurant down the street from us and got pork lo mein and dumplings. Long noodles for long life and the dumplings look like money bags for wealth. It was really good and we finished the whole thing. But... when I opened my fortune cookie there was no fortune. It was completely empty. Does that mean I have no fortune? This is not a good thing. Joe offered to share his with me but it's not the same.
I'll end for today with some pictures of the Lion Parade here in Philadelphia.
Happy Sunday! I'm heading for church now. We are accepting a new member into our fellowship today and I want to be there to see it.
Kathy
Weather in Philadelphia:
Sunny
High: 46*F Low: 33*F
Sunrise: 6:49 a.m. Sunset: 5:39 p.m.
11 hours and 50 minutes of daylight!
My fortune cookie would be like yours! Glad you enjoyed the food tho....the parade looks like fun....we dont have anything like that here in the south. Have a blessed day at church welcoming the new member.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I will be the first to admit I have had some dog years. LOL. I love the pretty dragon floats. Hope your Joe gets well soon. Lots of liquids ... Take care of yourself too Kathy. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun parade! I love all the beautiful costumes. Hope Joe will be feeling better really soon. Your talk of pork lo mein has made me hungry. I think I'll order some today for Pogo and me. Pogo's favorite is Pork Lo Mein. Mine too. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteHappy Year of the Dog! I want some Chinese food now!!
ReplyDeleteThat was interesting information!
ReplyDeleteI love Chinese food but because of my gluten intolerance I'm so limited to what I can eat :(.
I hope Joe feels better soon. Did you get snow? We did but it's melting quickly. I'm ok with that!!
God bless the rest of your Sunday!
I never knew about the earth,air,fire & water divisions of the dog. Interesting & thanks for the info. I love lo mein. You made me hungry!(lol) The photos are great. I love the costumes,so colorful! Hope Joe feels better soon.
ReplyDeleteHappy Year of The Dog!!
Loved all this info, Kathy. I think the fact that there was NO fortune in your fortune cookie is a GOOD thing- It means you are in charge of your own destiny and can write your own ticket for the year! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, Kathy. Sure hope Joe feels better soon. Nothing serious, I hope?!! xo Diana
Happy (Chinese) New Year back to you Kathy and too bad you were gypped on the fortune not being in your cookie. Hope Joe is feeling better as warmer weather is coming later this week and that might lift his spirits too and it will many of us too!
ReplyDelete